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The Geo Team Halloween Special/Transcript
The following is a transcript for The Geo Team Halloween Special. Act 1: Introduction (Shows black screen) (Shows The Greeny Channel warning screen) Narrator: Warning! The following program is been rated TV-14-LV, and may contain bloody sequences, coarse language, crude humor and action violence. Some of the sequences are based on real life, but some of the sequences are inappropriate under the age of 14. Due to some violence and foul language in the episode, viewer discretion is advised. (The screen fades to black.) (The episode starts off with a zoom-in to a Simpsons Halloween Special-esque cemetery where a strike of thunder creates "The Geo Team Halloween Special" logo whilst "The Simpsons Halloween Special Season 4" theme tune is playing. It then cuts inside the cemetery.) (The camera zooms through random tombstones, and right after, it shows Michael Jackson's tombstone until it breaks apart and Michael Jackson's ghost flys up in the dark red sky (from Sonic.exe) with the Scary Maze scream in fast-motion.) (Suddenly another strike of thunder transitions to a zoom-in of the Geo Team's house. Yet another strike of thunder transitions to the Geo couch where the Geo Team as victims of a sudden food poisioning (you can tell by their sickly green faces and vomit all over them and their mouths and snarling/groaning with zombies) heads for the couch when suddenly The Rake (from the creepypasta "The Rake") rises from the floor under the Geo couch and grabs the Geo Team thus dragging them under the floor.) (The screen cuts to the Geo TV where it reads the opening credits whilst more Simpsons Halloween music is playing.) Text: inspired by "ARTHUR'S HALLOWEEN SPECIAL" and "THE SIMPSONS" Text: written by GEO'S GRIEVING and ADAM HELLFIRE-GRAVES with writing supervised by TERRY NEEDSTA-GO-INTO A. MEDICAL-WARD Text: storyboarded by LUCAS HORROR-FIREY HELL and others Text: series created & directed by GEO'S GRIEVING (The screen cuts to black.) Act 2: The Ghost of Michael Jackson (The screen shows the Geo Team's house decorated in Halloween decorations and pans inside to show the Geo Team frolicking around.) Geo Guy: Alright, everyone. Tonight, before we go out Trick-or-Treating, does anyone have a scary story they'd like to share with us? Toon Link: I do. I have this. (Toon Link shows a picture of Michael Jackson) This is a picture of Michael Jackson. (Off-screen, everyone gasps.) Geo Guy: Ooh, I believe this is going somewhere. Homer Simpson: Mmm... Michael Jackson. I thought someone might look like him once. (The camera pans over and zooms into the picture.) Toon Link: Ladies and gentlemen, this story is entitled as... (The screen fades to a sky with fading eerie text saying "THE GHOST of MICHAEL JACKSON") Toon Link: (off-screen) The Ghost of Michael Jackson. (Pans down to the Geo Team House) (Shows Little Guy telling the story of Michael Jackson to Dr. Beanson, Geo Guy, Dr. PBS, Green Bob, and Dave the Minion) Little Guy: Here's the story of how it all began. (Pans up to the starry night sky) Little Guy: (narrating) Once upon a time, there was a strange special man named Michael Joseph Jackson. (shows the picture of Michael Jackson) He was an American singer-songwriter, actor, dancer, businessman, and philanthropist. Sometimes, Michael was once called the King of Pop, but his contributions to music, dance, and fashion, along with his publicized personal life, made him a global figure in popular culture for over four decades. (Cuts to Geo Guy talking to Geo Guy) Geo Guy: 4 decades? Little Guy: Yep. Geo Guy: Oh my. (Shows the picture of Michael Jackson yet again) Little Guy: (narrating) The eighth child of the Jackson family, he debuted on the professional music scene along with his brothers as a member of The Jackson 5 in 1964, and began his solo career in 1971. In the early 1980s, Jackson became a dominant figure in popular music. The music videos for his songs, including those of "Beat It", "Billie Jean", and "Thriller", were credited with breaking down racial barriers and with transforming the medium into an art form and promotional tool. The popularity of these videos helped to bring the then-relatively-new television channel MTV to fame. With videos such as "Black or White" and "Scream", he continued to innovate the medium throughout the 1990s, as well as forging a reputation as a touring solo artist. Through stage and video performances, Jackson popularized a number of complicated dance techniques, such as the robot and the moonwalk, to which he gave the name. His distinctive sound and style has influenced numerous hip hop, post-disco, contemporary R&B, pop, and rock artists. (shows the picture of Michael Jackson on the concert in 1991) Jackson's 1982 album Thriller is the best-selling album of all time. His other albums, including Off the Wall (1979), Bad (1987), Dangerous (1991), and HIStory (1995), also rank among the world's best-selling. (Shows pictures of Michael Jackson's life) Dr. PBS: (narrating) Jackson is one of the few artists to have been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice. He was also inducted into the Dance Hall of Fame as the first and only dancer from pop and rock music. Some of his other achievements include multiple Guinness World Records; 13 Grammy Awards as well as the Grammy Legend Award and the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award; 26 American Music Awards, more than any other artist, including the "Artist of the Century" and "Artist of the 1980s"; 13 number-one singles in the United States in his solo career, more than any other male artist in the Hot 100 era; and the estimated sale of over 400 million records worldwide. Jackson has won hundreds of awards, making him the most-awarded recording artist in the history of popular music. In what would have been Jackson's 52nd birthday on August 29, 2010, he became the most downloaded artist of all time in Nokia Music Store. A philanthropist, Jackson constantly traveled the world attending events honoring his humanitarianism and in 2000, the Guinness Book of Records recognized him for supporting 39 charities, more than any other artist or entertainer. Jackson became the first artist in history to have a top ten single in the Billboard Top 100 in five different decades when "Love Never Felt So Good" reached number nine on May 21, 2014. Gum: (narrating) Aspects of Jackson's personal life, including his changing appearance, personal relationships, and behavior, generated controversy. In the mid-1990s, he was accused of child sexual abuse, but the case was settled out of court for about $25 million and no formal charges were brought. (Cuts to Geo Guy talking to Gum) Geo Guy: Gum, why are you here? Gum: I'm here to narrate some of the events in Michael Jackson's history. (Shows Michael Jackson getting retired) Little Guy: (narrating) In 2005, he was tried and acquitted of further child sexual abuse allegations and several other charges after the jury found him not guilty on all counts. While preparing for his comeback concert series titled This Is It, Jackson died of acute propofol and benzodiazepine intoxication on June 25, 2009, after suffering from cardiac arrest. The Los Angeles County Coroner ruled his death a homicide, and his personal physician Conrad Murray was convicted of involuntary manslaughter. (shows the tombstone of Michael Jackson) Michael Jackson's death triggered a global outpouring of grief and a live broadcast of his public memorial service was viewed around the world. (Fades to Jackson's childhood home in Gary, Indiana) Little Guy: (narrating) Now where was I? Oh yes, it all started when he was born on August 29, 1958. He was the eighth of ten children in an African-American working-class family who lived in a two-bedroom house in Gary, Indiana, an industrial city near Chicago, Illinois. Geo Guy: (off-screen) What about his mother? (Shows the picture of Michael Jackson's mother) Little Guy: (narrating) Well, about his mother. Her name was Katherine Esther Scruse, and she was a devout Jehovah's Witness. She once aspired to be a country and western performer who played clarinet and piano, but worked part-time at Sears to help support the family. On the other hand, about his father. His name was Joseph Walter "Joe" Jackson, and he's a former boxer, and a steelworker at U.S. Steel. Joe also performed on guitar with a local R&B band called The Falcons to supplement the family's household income. Act 3: The History of Michael Jackson Continues (Shows the picture of Michael Jackson performing in 1988) Little Guy: (narrating) Michael grew up with three sisters that are Rebbie, La Toya, and Janet, and five brothers that are Jackie, Tito, Jermaine, Marlon, and Randy. But the sixth brother, Marlon's elder twin Brandon, died shortly after birth. (shows the actual footage of Michael Jackson's life) Jackson had a troubled relationship with his father, Joe. In 2003, Joe acknowledged that he regularly whipped Jackson as a boy. Joe was also said to have verbally abused his son, saying that he had a "fat nose" on numerous occasions. Your turn, Geo Guy. Geo Guy: (narrating) Jackson stated that he was physically and emotionally abused during incessant rehearsals, though he also credited his father's strict discipline with playing a large role in his success. Speaking openly about his childhood in an interview with Oprah Winfrey, broadcast in February 1993, Jackson acknowledged that his youth had been lonely and isolating. Jackson's deep dissatisfaction with his appearance, his nightmares and chronic sleep problems, his tendency to remain hyper-compliant, especially with his father, and to remain childlike throughout his adult life, are consistent with the effects of the maltreatment he endured as a young child. (Cuts to Dr. Beanson talking to Little Guy and Geo Guy) Dr. Beanson: (confused) Say what? (Shows the images from Michael Jackson's life) Geo Guy: (narrating) In an interview with Martin Bashir, later included in the 2003 broadcast of Living with Michael Jackson... Dr. Beanson: (narrating) Mr. Michael Jackson acknowledged that his father hurt him when he was a child, recalling that Joseph often sat in a chair with a belt in his hand as he and his siblings rehearsed, and that "if you didn't do it the right way, he would tear you up, really get you." In 1965, Michael and Marlon joined the Jackson Brothers—a band formed by their father and which included brothers Jackie, Tito, and Jermaine—as backup musicians playing congas and tambourine. In 1966, Jackson began sharing lead vocals with his older brother Jermaine, and the group's name was changed to The Jackson 5. That following year, the group won a major local talent show with Jackson performing James Brown's "I Got You (I Feel Good)". From 1966 to 1968 the band toured the Midwest, frequently performing at a string of black clubs known as the "chitlin' circuit" as the opening act for R&B artists that included Sam and Dave, The O'Jays, Gladys Knight, and Etta James. The Jackson 5 also performed at clubs and cocktail lounges, where striptease shows and other adult acts were featured, and at local auditoriums and high school dances. In August 1967, while touring the East coast, the group won a weekly amateur night content at The Apollo Theater in Harlem. (Shows the rest of the video footage of Michael Jackson's life) Little Guy: (narrating) The Jackson 5 recorded several songs, including "Big Boy" (1968), their first single, for Steeltown Records, a Gary, Indiana, record label, before signing with Motown Records in 1969. The Jackson 5 left Gary in 1969 and relocated to the Los Angeles area, where they continued to record music for Motown. Rolling Stone magazine later described the young Michael as "a prodigy" with "overwhelming musical gifts," writing that he "quickly emerged as the main draw and lead singer." The group set a chart record when its first four singles—"I Want You Back" (1969), "ABC" (1970), "The Love You Save" (1970), and "I'll Be There" (1970—peaked at number one on the Billboard Hot 100. In May 1971, the Jackson family moved into a large home on two-acre estate in Encino, California, where Michael evolved from child performer into a teen idol. As Jackson began to emerge as a solo performer in the early 1970s, he continued to maintain ties to The Jackson 5 and Motown. Between 1972, when his solo career began, and 1975, Michael released four solo studio albums with Motown: Got to Be There (1972), Ben (1972), Music and Me (1973), and Forever Michael (1975). Dr. Beanson: (narrating) "Got to Be There" and "Ben", the title tracks from his first two solo albums, produced successful singles, as did a remake of Bobby Day's "Rockin' Robin". The Jackson 5 were later described as "a cutting-edge example of black crossover artists." Although the group's sales began declining in 1973, and the band members chafed under Motown's refusal to allow them creative control or input, they continued to score several top 40 hits, including the top five single, "Dancing Machine" (1974), before the group left Motown in 1975. (Cuts to Homer Simpson going crazy) Homer Simpson: The group left... um, Mototmaiejatoon in 1975? Well, I'll be damned, the damnedest of the damned, the damned dammit damnedest of the mega damned from the god-damned firey pits of damned Hell! Damn damn damn damn (vocalisation) Daaaaaaaaaaamn! (sighing) Phew! Geo Guy: You said a mouthful, Home-boy. Homer Simpson: That's nothing. I know some other swears. (singing and dancing) Hell hell, h-hell hell hell, hell-hell, hell hell hell hell, h-hell hell hell, hell-hell, h-hell, hell-hell hell, hell hell! Geo Guy: Wow! Dr. Beanson: Now that's a mouthful. Bryan Guy: Bitchin'! Geo Guy: Shut up, stupid. (pushed Bryan Guy into the fire) Bryan Guy: (screaming on fire) OH NOES!!! (Bryan Guy runs away) (Fades to the image of the Epic Records building in 1975) Little Guy: (narrating) Now where was I? Oh yes. (shows rest of the pictures and video footage from Michael Jackson's life) In June 1975, the Jackson 5 signed with Epic Records, a subsidiary of CBS Records, and renamed themselves the Jacksons. Younger brother Randy formally joined the band around this time, while Jermaine chose to stay with Motown and pursue a solo career. The Jacksons continued to tour internationally, and released six more albums between 1976 and 1984. Michael, the group's lead songwriter during this time, wrote hits such as "Shake Your Body (Down to the Ground)" (1979), "This Place Hotel" (1980), and "Can You Feel It" (1980). Jackson's work in film began in 1978, when he starred as the Scarecrow in The Wiz, a musical directed by Sidney Lumet that also starred Diana Ross, Nipsey Russell, and Ted Ross. The film was a box-office disaster, and also a box-office bomb. While the rest of the film crew were working on the film while Jackson met Quincy Jones, who was arranging the film's musical score, and Jones agreed to produce Jackson's next solo album, Off the Wall. Geo Guy: (narrating) Only Michael Jackson can get off the wall. Anyways, in 1979, Jackson broke his nose during a complex dance routine. (Shows the animated video of Michael Jackson who broke his nose) Michael Jackson: (crying in pain) Ouch! My nose! What the hell is wrong with my nose!?! (Shows Michael Jackson with his broken nose in the hospital) Dr. Beanson: (narrating) His subsequent rhinoplasty was not a complete success; he complained of breathing difficulties that would affect his career. He was referred to Dr. Steven Hoefflin, who performed Jackson's second rhinoplasty and subsequent operations. (shows the rest of the images in Michael Jackson's life) Off the Wall (1979), which Jones and Jackson co-produced, established Jackson as a solo performer. The album helped Jackson transition from the "bubblegum pop" of his youth to the more complex sounds he would create as an adult. Songwriters for the album included Jackson, Rod Temperton, Stevie Wonder, and Paul McCartney. Off the Wall was the first solo album to generate four top 10 hits in the United States: "Off the Wall", "She’s Out of My Life", and the chart-topping singles "Don't Stop 'til You Get Enough" and "Rock with You". The album reached number three on the Billboard 200 and eventually sold over 20 million copies worldwide. In 1980, Jackson won three awards at the American Music Awards for his solo efforts: Favorite Soul/R&B Album, Favorite Soul/R&B Male Artist, and Favorite Soul/R&B Single for "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough". He also won Billboard Year-End awards for Top Black Artist and Top Black Album, and a Grammy Award for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance for 1979 with "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough". Green Bob: (narrating) In 1981 Jackson was the American Music Awards winner for Favorite Soul/R&B Album and Favorite Soul/R&B Male Artist. Despite its commercial success, Jackson felt Off the Wall should have made a much bigger impact, and was determined to exceed expectations with his next release. In 1980, he secured the highest royalty rate in the music industry: 37 percent of wholesale album profit. In 1982 Jackson Jackson combined his interests in songwriting and film when he contributed the song "Someone In the Dark" to the storybook for the film E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial. The song, with Quincy Jones as its producer, won a Grammy for Best Recording for Children for 1983. Even more success came after the release of Thriller in late 1982. The album earned Jackson seven more Grammys and eight American Music Awards, including the Award of Merit, the youngest artist to win it. (Shows the footage from Thriller) Geo Guy: (narrating) "Thriller" was the best-selling album worldwide in 1983. It became the best-selling album of all time in the United States, and the best-selling album of all time worldwide, selling an estimated 65 million copies. The album topped the Billboard 200 chart for 37 weeks and was in the top 10 of the 200 for 80 consecutive weeks. It was the first album to have seven Billboard Hot 100 top 10 singles, including "Billie Jean", "Beat It", and "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'". In March 2009 Thriller was certified for 29 million shipments by the RIAA, giving it Double Diamond status in the United States. Thriller won Jackson and Quincy Jones the Grammy award for Producer of the Year (Non-Classical) for 1983. It also won Album of the Year, with Jackson as the album’s artist and Jones as its co-producer, and a Best Pop Vocal Performance, Male, award for Jackson. "Beat It" won Record of the Year, with Jackson as artist and Jones as co-producer, and a Best Rock Vocal Performance, Male, award for Jackson. "Billie Jean" won Jackson two Grammy awards, Best R&B Song, with Jackson as its songwriter, and Best R&B Vocal Performance, Male, as its artist. Thriller also won another Grammy for Best Engineered Recording – Non Classical in 1984, awarding Bruce Swedien for his work on the album. Homer Simpson: (narrating) The AMA Awards for 1984 provided Jackson with an Award of Merit and AMAs for Favorite Male Artist, Soul/R&B, and Favorite Male Artist, Pop/Rock. "Beat It" won Jackson AMAs for Favorite Video, Soul/R&B, Favorite Video, Pop/Rock, and Favorite Single, Pop/Rock. Thriller won him AMAs for Favorite Album, Soul/R&B, and Favorite Album, Pop/Rock. In addition to the award-winning album, Jackson released "Thriller", a fourteen-minute music video short directed by John Landis, in 1983. It "defined music videos and broke racial barriers" on the Music Television Channel (MTV), a fledgling entertainment television channel at the time. In December 2009, the Library of Congress selected music video for "Thriller" for inclusion in the National Film Registry. It was one of twenty-five films named that year as "works of enduring importance to American culture" that would be "preserved for all time." The zombie-themed "Thriller" is the first and, as of 2009, the only music video to be inducted into the registry. Geo Guy: (narrating) Wait what? (Shows the rest of images and footage in Michael Jackson's life) Little Guy: (narrating) Jackson's attorney John Branca noted that Jackson had the highest royalty rate in the music industry at that point: approximately $2 for every album sold. He was also making record-breaking profits from sales of his recordings. The videocassette of the documentary The Making of Michael Jackson's Thriller sold over 350,000 copies in a few months. The era saw the arrival of novelties like dolls modeled after Michael Jackson, which appeared in stores in May 1984 at a price of $12. Biographer J. Randy Taraborrelli writes that, "Thriller stopped selling like a leisure item—like a magazine, a toy, tickets to a hit movie—and started selling like a household staple." In 1985, The Making of Michael Jackson's Thriller won a Grammy for Best Music Video, Longform. Time described Jackson's influence at that point as "Star of records, radio, rock video. A one-man rescue team for the music business. A songwriter who sets the beat for a decade. A dancer with the fanciest feet on the street. A singer who cuts across all boundaries of taste and style and color too". The New York Times wrote that, "in the world of pop music, there is Michael Jackson and there is everybody else". Act 4: The History of Michael Jackson Continues Again (Shows footage of Michael Jackson on NBC) Bryan Guy: (narrating) A defining point in Jackson's career took place on March 25, 1983, when Michael reunited with his brothers for a legendary live performance, which was taped at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium, for Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever, an NBC television special. The show aired on May 16, 1983, to an estimated audience of 47 million viewers, and featured the Jacksons and other Motown stars. The show is best remembered for Jackson's solo performance of "Billie Jean", which earned Jackson his first Emmy nomination. Geo Guy: (off-screen) Billie Jean? Who is Billie Jean? (Shows the picture of Michael Jackson wearing a distinctive black-sequined jacket and a golf glove decorated with rhinestones) Little Guy: (narrating) When Jackson was wearing a distinctive black-sequined jacket and a golf glove decorated with rhinestones, he debuted his signature dance move, the moonwalk, which former Soul Train dancer and Shalamar member Jeffrey Daniel had taught him three years earlier. (shows the rest of the images about Jackson's life) Jackson originally turned down the invitation to perform at the show, believing he had been doing too much television at the time. However at the request of Berry Gordy, Jackson relented and agreed to perform at the show in exchange for time to do a solo performance. According to Rolling Stones reporter Mikal Gilmore, "There are times when you know you are hearing or seeing something extraordinary...that came that night." Jackson's performance drew comparisons to Elvis Presley's and The Beatles' appearances on The Ed Sullivan Show. Anna Kisselgoff of The New York Times later wrote, "The moonwalk that he made famous is an apt metaphor for his dance style. How does he do it? As a technician, he is a great illusionist, a genuine mime. His ability to keep one leg straight as he glides while the other bends and seems to walk requires perfect timing." Berry Gordy said of the performance, "from the first beat of Billie Jean, I was mesmerized, and when he did his iconic moonwalk, I was shocked, it was magic, Michael Jackson went into orbit, and never came down." (shows additional footage and images of Michael Jackson's life) By the mid-1980s Jackson's award-winning musical career contributed to his commercial appeal, which proved to be substantial. In November 1983 Jackson, along with his brothers, partnered with PepsiCo in a $5 million promotional deal that broke advertising industry records for a celebrity endorsement. The first Pepsi campaign, which ran in the United States from 1983 to 1984 and launched its "New Generation" theme, included advertising, tour sponsorship, public relations events, and in-store displays. Jackson, who was actively involved in creating the iconic Pepsi advertisement, suggested using his song, "Billie Jean", as its musical jingle with a revised chorus. According a Billboard report in 2009, Brian J. Murphy, executive VP of branded management at TBA Global, commented, "You couldn’t separate the tour from the endorsement from the licensing of the music, and then the integration of the music into the Pepsi fabric." Gum: (narrating) On January 27, 1984, Michael and other members of the Jacksons filmed a Pepsi Cola commercial that was overseen by executive Phil Dusenberry, a BBDO ad agency executive, and Alan Pottasch, Pepsi's Worldwide Creative Director, at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles. In front of a full house of fans during a simulated concert, pyrotechnics accidentally set Jackson's hair on fire, causing second-degree burns to his scalp. Jackson underwent treatment to hide the scars on his scalp, and had his third rhinoplasty shortly thereafter. Pepsi settled out of court, and Jackson donated his $1.5 million settlement to the Brotman Medical Center in Culver City, California. Its Michael Jackson Burn Center is named in his honor. Dusenberry later recounted the episode in his memoir, Then We Set His Hair on Fire: Insights and Accidents from a Hall of Fame Career in Advertising. Jackson signed a second agreement with Pepsi in the late 1980s for a reported $10 million. The second campaign had a global reach to more than twenty countries and provided financial support for Jackson's Bad album and his world tour in 1987–88. Although Jackson had endorsements and advertising deals with other companies, such as L.A. Gear, Suzuki, and Sony, none were as significant as his deals with Pepsi, who later signed other music stars such as Britney Spears and Beyonce to promote its products. (Cuts to Little Guy talking to Gum) Little Guy: We'll talk about Britney Spears later, after we finish up the story. (Fades to Michael Jackson at the White House) Coraline Jones: (narrating) Jackson’s humanitarian work was recognized on May 14, 1984, when he was invited to the White House to receive an award from President Ronald Reagan for his support of charities that helped people overcome alcohol and drug abuse, and in recognition of his support for the Ad Council's and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's Drunk Driving Prevention campaign. Jackson donated the use of "Beat It" for the campaign's public service announcements. (shows additional images of Michael Jackson's life) Unlike later albums, Thriller did not have an official tour to promote it, but the Victory Tour of 1984 headlined The Jacksons and showcased much of Jackson's new solo material to more than two million Americans. It was the last tour he would do with his brothers. Following a controversy over the concert's ticket sales, Jackson held a press conference and announced that he would donate his share of the proceeds from the Victory Tour, an estimated $3 to 5 million, to charity. Jackson's charitable work and humanitarian awards continued with the release of "We Are the World" (1985), which he co-wrote with Lionel Richie. Dr. PBS: (narrating) Released worldwide in March 1985 to aid the poor in the United States and Africa, the song earned $63 million for famine relief, and became one of the best-selling singles of all time, with nearly 20 million copies sold. "We Are the World" won four Grammys for 1985, including Song of the Year going to Jackson and Richie as its co-songwriters. Although the American Music Award directors removed the charity song from the competition because they felt it would be inappropriate, the AMA show in 1986 concluded with a tribute to the song in honor of its first anniversary. (The song was recorded on January 28, 1985). The project's creators received two special AMA honors: one for the creation of the song and another for the USA for Africa idea. Jackson, Quincy Jones, and entertainment promoter Ken Kragan received special awards for their roles in creation of the song. Jackson's financial interests in the music publishing business expanded after collaborating with Paul McCartney in the early 1980s. He subsequently learned that McCartney made approximately $40 million a year from other people's songs. By 1983 Jackson had begun investing in publishing rights to songs that others had written, but he was careful with his acquisitions, only bidding on a few of the dozens that were offered to him. Jackson’s early acquisitions of music catalogs and song copyrights such as the Sly Stone collection included "Everyday People" (1968), Len Barry's "1-2-3" (1965), and Dion DiMucci's "The Wanderer" (1961) and "Runaround Sue" (1961); however, Jackson's most significant purchase came in 1985, when he acquired the publishing rights to ATV Music Publishing after months of negotiation. ATV had acquired the publishing rights to nearly 4000 songs, including the Northern Songs catalog that contained the majority of the Lennon–McCartney compositions recorded by The Beatles. Green Bob: (narrating) In 1984, Robert Holmes à Court, the wealthy Australian investor who owned ATV Music Publishing, announced he was putting the ATV catalog up for sale. In 1981, McCartney was offered the ATV music catalog for £20 million ($40 million). According to McCartney, he contacted Yoko Ono about making a joint purchase by splitting the cost at £10 million each, but Ono thought they could buy it for £5 million ($10 million) each. When they were unable to make a joint purchase, McCartney, who did not want to be the sole owner of the Beatles' songs, did not pursue an offer on his own. According to a negotiator for Holmes à Court in the 1984 sale, "We had given Paul McCartney first right of refusal but Paul didn't want it at that time." (Cuts to Geo Guy, getting confused) Geo Guy: (thinking) Hmmmmm. We need only 1 narrator, but there's too many narrators. Act 5: The Male Narrator Speaks (Shows additional video footage and images of Michael Jackson's life) Male Narrator: Thanks, Geo Guy. (narrating) Anyways, Jackson was first informed about the sale by his attorney, John Branca, in September 1984. An attorney for McCartney also assured Branca that McCartney was not interested in bidding. McCartney reportedly said "It's too pricey", but several other companies and investors were interested in bidding. Jackson submitted a bid of $46 million on November 20, 1984. His agents thought they had a deal several times, but encountered new bidders or new areas of debate. In May 1985, Jackson's team walked away from talks after having spent more than $1 million and four months of due diligence work on the negotiations. In June 1985 Jackson and Branca learned that Charles Koppelman's and Marty Bandier's The Entertainment Company had made a tentative agreement with Holmes à Court to buy ATV Music for $50 million; however, in early August, Holmes à Court's team contacted Jackson and talks resumed. Jackson raised his bid to $47.5 million, which was accepted because he could close the deal more quickly, having already completed due diligence of ATV Music. Jackson also agreed to visit Holmes à Court in Australia, where he would appear on the Channel Seven Perth Telethon. Jackson's purchase of ATV Music was finalized on August 10, 1985. Jackson's skin had been a medium-brown color for the entire duration of his youth, but starting in the mid-1980s, it gradually grew paler. The change gained widespread media coverage, including rumors that he might be bleaching his skin and not having a tan. According to J. Randy Taraborrelli's biography, in 1986, Jackson was diagnosed with vitiligo which Taroberrelli noted, may be a consequence of skin bleaching. Taraborelli claimed Jackson was diagnosed with lupus; the vitiligo partially lightened his skin, and the lupus was in remission; both illnesses made him sensitive to sunlight. The treatments he used for his condition further lightened his skin tone, and, with the application of pancake makeup to even out blotches, he could appear very pale. Jackson was also diagnosed with vitiligo in his autopsy though not with lupus. New York plastic surgeon Dr. Pamela Lipkin, who has never treated Jackson or reviewed his medical records, said... Dr. Pamela: Michael Jackson, when you look at the other features, the skin bleaching sort of goes along with what I think was his quest for beauty, so I have to wonder what came first? Vitiligo or lighter skin. Michael Jackson: I choose lighter skin. Male Narrator: (narrating) Noting that Jackson had even skin tone when he was younger, Lipkin's interpretation was that "probably he's trying to look Caucasian: His skin is whiter. His nose is getting thinner every six months. His lips are getting thinner. His eyebrows are getting higher. His eyes are getting wider every time. His cheekbones are getting bigger." Jackson claimed that he had only two rhinoplasties and no other surgery on his face, although at one point he mentioned having a dimple created in his chin. Jackson lost weight in the early 1980s because of a change in diet and a desire for "a dancer's body". Witnesses reported that he was often dizzy and speculated that he was suffering from anorexia nervosa; periods of weight loss would become a recurring problem later in life. During the course of his treatment, Jackson made two close friends: his dermatologist, Dr. Arnold Klein, and Klein's nurse Debbie Rowe. Rowe eventually became Jackson's second wife and the mother of his two eldest children. He also relied heavily on Klein for medical and business advice. Jackson became the subject of increasingly sensational reports. In 1986, the tabloids ran a story claiming that Jackson slept in a hyperbaric oxygen chamber to slow the aging process; he was pictured lying down in a glass box. Although the claim was untrue, according to tabloid reports that are widely cited, Jackson had disseminated the fabricated story himself. When Jackson bought a chimpanzee called Bubbles from a laboratory, he was reported to be increasingly detached from reality. It was reported that Jackson had offered to buy the bones of Joseph Merrick (the "elephant man") and although untrue, Jackson did not deny the story. Although initially he saw these stories as opportunities for publicity, he stopped leaking untruths to the press as they became more sensational. Consequently the media began making up their own stories. These reports became embedded in the public consciousness, inspiring the nickname "Wacko Jacko", which Jackson came to despise. Responding to the gossip, Jackson remarked to Taraborrelli and said... Michael Jackson: Why not just tell people I'm an alien from Mars? Tell them I eat live chickens and do a voodoo dance at midnight. They'll believe anything you say, because you're a reporter. But if I, Michael Jackson, were to say, "I'm an alien from Mars and I eat live chickens and do a voodoo dance at midnight," people would say, "Oh, man, that Michael Jackson is nuts. He's cracked up. You can't believe a single word that comes out of his mouth." Male Narrator: (narrating) Jackson collaborated with George Lucas and Francis Ford Coppola on the 17-minute 3-D film Captain EO, which debuted in September 1986 at both the original Disneyland and at EPCOT in Florida, and in March 1987 at Tokyo Disneyland. The $30 million movie was a popular attraction at all three parks. A Captain EO attraction was later featured at Euro Disneyland after that park opened in 1992. All four parks' Captain EO installations stayed open well into the 1990s: the Paris installation was the last one to close, in 1998. The attraction would later return to Disneyland in 2010 after Jackson's death. In 1987, Jackson disassociated himself from the Jehovah's Witnesses, in response to their disapproval of the Thriller video. With the industry expecting another major hit, Jackson's first album in five years, Bad (1987), was highly anticipated. It did not top Thriller as a commercial or artistic triumph, but Bad was still a substantial success in its own right. The Bad album spawned seven hit singles in the U.S., five of which ("I Just Can't Stop Loving You", "Bad", "The Way You Make Me Feel", "Man in the Mirror" and "Dirty Diana") reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 charts. This was a record for most number one Hot 100 singles from any one album, including Thriller. Although the title track's video was arguably derivative of the video for the earlier single "Beat It", the "Bad" video still proved to be one of Jackson's iconic moments. It was a gritty but colorful epic set against the backdrop of the New York City Subway system, with costuming and choreography inspired by West Side Story. As of 2012, the album has been sold between 30 to 45 million copies worldwide. But thanks to the Bad album, back in 1989, Bruce Swedien, and Humberto Gatica won a Grammy award in 1988 for Best Engineered Recording – Non Classical and Michael Jackson won a Grammy award for Best Music Video, Short Form for "Leave Me Alone", and Jackson won an Award of Achievement at the American Music Awards because Bad is the first album ever to generate five number one singles in the U.S., the first album to top in 25 countries and the best-selling album worldwide in 1987. But in 1988, "Bad" won an American Music Award for Favorite Soul/R&B Single. The Bad world tour began on September 12 that year, finishing on January 14, 1989. In Japan alone, the tour had 14 sellouts and drew 570,000 people, nearly tripling the previous record of 200,000 in a single tour. Jackson broke a Guinness World Record when 504,000 people attended seven sold-out shows at Wembley Stadium. He performed a total of 123 concerts to an audience of 4.4 million people. The Bad Tour turned out to be the last of Jackson's concert tours to include shows in the continental United States, although later tours did make it to Hawaii. (Cuts to Geo Guy, Little Guy, and Gum) Geo Guy: Wait. They did? Gum: Yes. (Shows extra footage of Michael Jackson's life) Male Narrator: (narrating) In 1988, Jackson released his only autobiography, Moonwalk, which took four years to complete and sold 200,000 copies. Jackson wrote about his childhood, The Jackson 5, and the abuse he had suffered. He also wrote about his facial appearance, saying he had had two rhinoplastic surgeries and a dimple created in his chin. He attributed much of the change in the structure of his face to puberty, weight loss, a strict vegetarian diet, a change in hair style, and stage lighting. Moonwalk reached the top position on The New York Times best sellers' list. The musician then released a film called Moonwalker, which featured live footage and short films that starred Jackson and Joe Pesci. The film was originally intended to be released to theaters, but due to financial issues, the film was released on video. It saw a theatrical release in Germany, though. It debuted atop the Billboard Top Music Video Cassette chart, staying there for 22 weeks. It was eventually knocked off the top spot by Michael Jackson: The Legend Continues. At the same year, Jackson purchased land near Santa Ynez, California, to build Neverland Ranch at a cost of $17 million. He installed Ferris wheels, a menagerie, and a movie theater on the 2,700-acre (11 km2) property. A security staff of 40 patrolled the grounds. In 2003, it was valued at approximately $100 million. In 1989, his annual earnings from album sales, endorsements, and concerts were estimated at $125 million for that year alone. Shortly afterwards, he became the first Westerner to appear in a television ad in the Soviet Union. Act 6: The Legend of Michael Jackson shall Continue on Male Narrator: (narrating) But then, his success resulted in him being dubbed the "King of Pop. The nickname was popularized by Elizabeth Taylor when she presented him with the Soul Train Heritage Award in 1989, proclaiming him "the true king of pop, rock and soul." President George H.W. Bush designated him the White House's "Artist of the Decade". From 1985 to 1990, he donated $455,000 to the United Negro College Fund, and all of the profits from his single "Man in the Mirror" went to charity. Jackson's live rendition of "You Were There" at Sammy Davis, Jr.'s 60th birthday celebration allowed Jackson to receive his second Emmy nomination. Homer Simpson: (off-screen) That lucky bastard. Geo Guy: (off-screen) Shh! Listen to the voice. Male Narrator: (narrating) In March 1991, Jackson renewed his contract with Sony for $65 million, a record-breaking deal at the time, displacing Neil Diamond's renewal contract with Columbia Records. He released his eighth album, Dangerous, in 1991. The Dangerous album was co-produced with Teddy Riley, who convinced Michael to feature a rapper on his album for the first time. As of 2013, the album has shipped seven million copies in the U.S. and has sold approximately 30 million copies worldwide. In the United States, the album's first single "Black or White" was its biggest hit, reaching number one on the Billboard Hot 100 and remaining there for seven weeks, with similar chart performances worldwide. The album's second single "Remember the Time" spent eight weeks in the top five in the United States, peaking at number three on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart. At the end of 1992, Dangerous was awarded the best-selling album of the year worldwide and "Black or White" was awarded best-selling single of the year worldwide at the Billboard Music Awards. Additionally, he won an award as best-selling artist of the 1980s. In 1993, Jackson performed the song at the Soul Train Music Awards in a chair, saying he had suffered an injury in rehearsals. In the UK and other parts of Europe, "Heal the World" was the biggest hit from the album; it sold 450,000 copies in the UK and spent five weeks at number two in 1992. Jackson founded the Heal the World Foundation in 1992. The charity organization brought underprivileged children to Jackson's ranch to enjoy theme park rides that Jackson had built on the property. The foundation also sent millions of dollars around the globe to help children threatened by war, poverty, and disease. In the same year Jackson published his second book, the bestselling collection of poetry, Dancing the Dream. While it was a commercial success and revealed a more intimate side to Jackson's nature, the collection was mostly critically unacclaimed at the time of release. In 2009, the book was republished by Doubleday and was more positively received by some critics in the wake of Jackson's untimely death. The Dangerous World Tour grossed $100 million. The tour began on June 27, 1992, and finished on November 11, 1993. Jackson performed to 3.5 million people in 70 concerts. But all of the sudden, he sold the broadcast rights to his Dangerous world tour to HBO for $20 million, a record-breaking deal that still stands. Following the illness and death of Ryan White, Jackson helped draw public attention to HIV/AIDS, something that was still controversial at the time. He publicly pleaded with the Clinton Administration at Bill Clinton's Inaugural Gala to give more money to HIV/AIDS charities and research. In a high-profile visit to Africa, Jackson visited several countries, among them Gabon and Egypt. His first stop to Gabon was greeted with a sizable and enthusiastic reception of more than 100,000 people, some of them carrying signs that read, "Welcome Home Michael." In his trip to Côte d'Ivoire, Jackson was crowned "King Sani" by a tribal chief. He then thanked the dignitaries in French and English, signed official documents formalizing his kingship and sat on a golden throne while presiding over ceremonial dances. In January 1993, Jackson made a memorable appearance at the halftime show at Super Bowl XXVII. Because of dwindling interest during halftime in the years before, the NFL decided to seek big-name talent that would keep viewers and ratings high, with Jackson being selected because of his popularity and universal appeal. It was the first Super Bowl where the audience figures increased during the half-time show to more than the game itself. The performance began with Jackson catapulting onto the stage as fireworks went off behind him. As he landed on the canvas, he maintained a motionless "clenched fist, standing statue stance", dressed in a gold and black military outfit and sunglasses; he remained completely motionless for a minute and a half while the crowd cheered. He then slowly removed his sunglasses, threw them away and sang four songs: "Jam", "Billie Jean", "Black or White", and "Heal the World". Jackson's Dangerous album rose 90 places up the album chart. Jackson was given the "Living Legend Award" at the 35th Grammy Awards in Los Angeles. "Black or White" was Grammy-nominated for best vocal performance. "Jam" gained two nominations: Best R&B Vocal Performance and Best R&B Song. The Dangerous album won a Grammy for Best Engineered – Non Classical, awarding the work of Bruce Swedien and Teddy Riley. In the same year, Michael Jackson won three American Music Awards for Favorite Pop/Rock Album (Dangerous), Favorite Soul/R&B Single ("Remember the Time") and was the first to win the International Artist Award, for his global performances and humanitarian concerns. This award will bear his name in the future. Act 7: The Legend Continues Yet Again Geo Guy: (off-screen) That award bears Michael Jackson and his name in the future. Does it? Male Narrator: Yes. It did. (narrating) Anyways, Jackson gave a 90-minute interview to Oprah Winfrey on February 10, 1993, his second television interview since 1979. He grimaced when speaking of his childhood abuse at the hands of his father; he believed he had missed out on much of his childhood years, admitting that he often cried from loneliness. He denied tabloid rumors that he had bought the bones of the Elephant Man, slept in a hyperbaric oxygen chamber, or bleached his skin, stating for the first time that he had vitiligo. Dangerous re-entered the album chart in the top 10, more than a year after its original release. In the summer of 1993, Jackson was accused of child sexual abuse by a 13-year-old boy named Jordan Chandler and his father, Dr. Evan Chandler, a dentist. The Chandler family demanded payment from Jackson, and the singer initially refused. Jordan Chandler eventually told the police that Jackson had sexually abused him. Dr. Chandler was tape-recorded discussing his intention to pursue charges, saying, "If I go through with this, I win big-time. There's no way I lose. I will get everything I want and they will be destroyed forever..... Michael's career will be over". Jordan's mother was, however, adamant at the time that there had been no wrongdoing on Jackson's part. Jackson later used the recording to argue that he was the victim of a jealous father whose only goal was to extort money from the singer. In January 1994, however, after investigation on allegations of extortion against the singer by Chandler, deputy Los Angeles County district attorney Michael J. Montagna stated that Chandler wouldn't be charged due to lack of cooperation from Jackson's camp and its willingness to negotiate with Chandler for several weeks among other reasons. Back in August 1993, Jackson's home was raided by the police who, according to court documents, found books and photographs in his bedroom featuring young boys with little or no clothing. Since the books were legal to purchase and own, the jury decided to not indict Jackson (though the books remained unopened, save an inscription in one, and had been mailed to Jackson by a fan). In December 1993, Jackson was strip searched. Jordan Chandler had reportedly given police a description of Jackson's intimate parts, and the strip search revealed that Jordan had correctly claimed Michael Jackson had patchy-colored buttocks, short pubic hair, and pink and brown marked testicles. Reportedly, Jordan had also previously drawn accurate pictures of a dark spot on Jackson's penis only visible when his penis was lifted. Despite differing initial internal reports from prosecutors and investigators and later, with reports of jurors feeling otherwise that the photos did not match the description, the DA stated his belief in a sworn affidavit that the description was accurate, along with the sheriff's photographer stating that the description was accurate. A 2004 motion filed by Jackson's defense asserted that Jackson was never criminally indicted by any grand jury and that his settlement admitted no wrongdoing and contained no evidence of criminal misconduct. (Cuts to Little Guy searching at his computer) Little Guy: (typing) Criminal misconduct. (Shows other images and videos in Michael Jackson's life) Male Narrator: (narrating) Jackson's friends said he never recovered from the humiliation of the strip search. The investigation was inconclusive and no charges were ever filed. Jackson described the search in an emotional public statement, and proclaimed his innocence. On January 1, 1994, Jackson settled with the Chandlers out of court for $22 million. A Santa Barbara County grand jury and a Los Angeles County grand jury disbanded on May 2, 1994 without indicting Jackson, and the Chandlers stopped co-operating with the criminal investigation around July 6, 1994. The out-of-court settlement's documentation specifically stated Jackson admitted no wrongdoing and no liability; the Chandlers and their family lawyer Larry Feldman signed it without contest. Feldman also explicitly stated "nobody bought anybody's silence". A decade after the fact, during the second round of child abuse allegations, Jackson's lawyers would file a memo stating that the 1994 settlement was done without his consent. A later disclosure by the FBI of investigation documents compiled over nearly 20 years led to Jackson's attorney to make the suggestion that there was no evidence of molestation or sexual impropriety from Jackson towards minors. According to reports the DCFS had investigated Jackson beginning in 1993 with the Chandler allegation and again in 2003. Reports show the LAPD and DCFS did not find credible evidence of abuse or sexual misconduct. In May 1994, Jackson married Lisa Marie Presley, the daughter of Elvis and Priscilla Presley. They had first met in 1975, when a seven-year-old Presley attended one of Jackson's family engagements at the MGM Grand Hotel and Casino, and were reconnected through a mutual friend. According to a friend of Presley's, "their adult friendship began in November 1992 in L.A." They stayed in contact every day over the telephone. As the child molestation accusations became public, Jackson became dependent on Presley for emotional support; she was concerned about his faltering health and addiction to drugs. Presley explained, "I believed he didn't do anything wrong and that he was wrongly accused and yes I started falling for him. I wanted to save him. I felt that I could do it." She eventually persuaded him to settle the civil case out of court and go into rehabilitation to recover. Jackson proposed to Presley over the telephone towards the fall of 1993, saying... (Shows animated video of Michael Jackson talking to Lisa Marie Presley on the telephone) Michael Jackson: If I asked you to marry me, would you do it? Lisa Marie Presley: Would I? Yes, I can. If you do something stupid, i'm divorcing you and marry another person. (Shows the weeding footage of Michael Jackson and Lisa Marie Presley) Little Guy: (narrating) They married in the Dominican Republic in secrecy, denying it for nearly two months afterwards. The marriage was perfect, but in her words, "a married couple's life..... that was sexually active". (shows additional footage) At the time, the tabloid media speculated that the wedding was a ploy to prop up Jackson's public image. The marriage had last 300 days and ended with an amicable divorce settlement. In a 2010 interview with Oprah, Presley admitted that they spent four more years after the divorce "getting back together and breaking up", until she decided to stop. In 1995, Jackson merged his ATV Music catalog with Sony's music publishing division creating Sony/ATV Music Publishing. Jackson retained half-ownership of the company, earned $95 million upfront as well as the rights to even more songs. He then released the double album HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I. The first disc, HIStory Begins, was a 15-track greatest hits album, and was later reissued as Greatest Hits: HIStory, Volume I in 2001, while the second disc, HIStory Continues, contained 13 new songs and 2 cover versions. The album debuted at number one on the charts and has been certified for seven million shipments in the US. It is the best-selling multiple-disc album of all-time, with 20 million copies (40 million units) sold worldwide. HIStory received a Grammy nomination for Album of the Year. The first single released from the album was "Scream/Childhood". "Scream" was a duet, performed with Jackson's youngest sister Janet. The song fights against the media, mainly for what the media made him out to be during his 1993 child abuse allegations. The single had the highest debut on the Billboard Hot 100 at number five, and received a Grammy nomination for "Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals". "You Are Not Alone" was the second single released from HIStory; it holds the Guinness World Record for the first song ever to debut at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. It was seen as a major artistic and commercial success, receiving a Grammy nomination for "Best Pop Vocal Performance". In late 1995, Jackson was rushed to a hospital after collapsing during rehearsals for a televised performance; the incident was caused by a stress-related panic attack. "Earth Song" was the third single released from HIStory, and topped the UK Singles Chart for six weeks over Christmas 1995; it sold a million copies, making it Jackson's most successful single in the UK. The track "They Don't Care About Us" became controversial when the Anti-Defamation League and other groups criticized its allegedly antisemitic lyrics. Jackson quickly put out a revised version of the song without the offending lyrics. In 1996, Jackson won a Grammy for Best Music Video, Short Form for "Scream" and an American Music Award for Favorite Pop/Rock Male Artist. The album was promoted with the successful HIStory World Tour. The tour began on September 7, 1996, and finished on October 15, 1997. Jackson performed 82 concerts in 58 cities to over 4.5 million fans, and grossed a total of $165 million. The show, which visited five continents and 35 countries, became Michael Jackson's most successful in terms of audience figures. During the tour, Jackson married his longtime friend Deborah Jeanne Rowe, a dermatology nurse, in an impromptu ceremony in Sydney, Australia. Rowe was approximately six months pregnant with the couple's first child at the time. Originally, Rowe and Jackson had no plans to marry, but Jackson's mother Katherine persuaded them to do so. Michael Joseph Jackson Jr. (commonly known as Prince) was born on February 13, 1997; his sister Paris-Michael Katherine Jackson was born a year later on April 3, 1998. The couple divorced in 1999, and Michael Jackson Sr. got full custody of the children. The divorce was relatively amicable, but a subsequent custody suit was not settled until 2006. In 1997, Jackson released Blood on the Dance Floor: HIStory in the Mix, which contained remixes of hit singles from HIStory and five new songs. Worldwide sales stand at 6 million copies, it is the best selling remix album ever released. It reached number one in the UK, as did the title track. In the US, the album was certified platinum, but only reached number 24. Forbes placed his annual income at $35 million in 1996 and $20 million in 1997. Throughout June 1999, Jackson was involved in a number of charitable events. He joined Luciano Pavarotti for a benefit concert in Modena, Italy. The show was in support of the nonprofit organization War Child, and raised a million dollars for the refugees of Kosovo, FR Yugoslavia, as well as additional funds for the children of Guatemala. Later that month, Jackson organized a set of "Michael Jackson & Friends" benefit concerts in Germany and Korea. Other artists involved included Slash, The Scorpions, Boyz II Men, Luther Vandross, Mariah Carey, A. R. Rahman, Prabhu Deva Sundaram, Shobana, Andrea Bocelli, and Luciano Pavarotti. The proceeds went to the Nelson Mandela Children's Fund, the Red Cross and UNESCO. From August 1999 through 2000, he lived in New York City at 4 East 74th Street. Geo Guy: (off-screen) Oh, so that's why the 21st century is still coming. Male Narrator: Yep. (narrating) At the turn of the century, Jackson won an American Music Award as Artist of the 1980s. Throughout 2000 and 2001, Jackson worked in the studio with Teddy Riley and Rodney Jerkins, as well as other collaborators. These sessions would result in the album Invincible, released in October 2001. Invincible was Jackson's first full-length album in six years, and it would be the last album of new material he released while still alive. The release of the album was preceded by a dispute between Jackson and his record label, Sony Music Entertainment. Jackson had expected the licenses to the masters of his albums to revert to him sometime in the early 2000s. Once he had the licenses, he would be able to promote the material however he pleased and keep all the profits. However, due to various clauses in the contract, the revert date turned out to be many years away. Jackson discovered that the attorney who represented him in the deal was also representing Sony. Geo Guy: (off-screen) Hmmm. I see. Male Narrator: (narrating) In September 2001, two 30th Anniversary concerts were held at Madison Square Garden to mark the singer's 30th year as a solo artist. Jackson appeared onstage alongside his brothers for the first time since 1984. The show also featured performances by Mýa, Usher, Whitney Houston, 'N Sync, Destiny's Child, Monica, Luther Vandross, and Slash, among other artists. The second of the two shows took place the night before the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. After 9/11, Jackson helped organize the United We Stand: What More Can I Give benefit concert at RFK Stadium in Washington, D.C. The concert took place on October 21, 2001, and included performances from dozens of major artists, including Jackson, who performed his song "What More Can I Give" as the finale. Jackson's solo performances were omitted from the televised version of the benefit concert, although he could still be seen singing background vocals. This omission happened because of contractual issues related to the earlier 30th Anniversary concerts: those concerts were boiled down into a two-hour TV special titled Michael Jackson: 30th Anniversary Celebration which debuted in November 2001. In spite of the events preceding its release, Invincible came out in October 2001 to much anticipation. Invincible proved to be a hit, debuting atop the charts in 13 countries and going on to sell approximately 13 million copies worldwide. It received double-platinum certification in the U.S. However, the sales for Invincible were lower than those of his previous releases, due in part to a lack of promotion, no supporting world tour and the label dispute. The album also came out at a bad time for the music industry in general. The album cost $30 million to record, not including promotional expenditures. Invincible spawned three singles, "You Rock My World", "Cry" and "Butterflies", the latter without a music video. Jackson alleged in July 2002 that Mottola was a "devil" and a "racist" who did not support his African-American artists, using them merely for his own personal gain. He charged that Mottola had called his colleague Irv Gotti a "fat nigger". Sony Corporation and Sony Music Entertainment were refused to renew Jackson's contract, and claimed that a $25 million promotional campaign had failed because Jackson refused to tour in the United States. In 2002, Michael Jackson won his 22nd American Music Award for Artist of the Century. In the same year, Jackson's third child, Prince Michael Jackson II (nicknamed "Blanket") was born in 2003. The mother's identity is unknown, but Jackson has said the child was the result of artificial insemination from a surrogate mother and his own sperm. On November 20, 2003, Michael Jackson brought his infant son onto the balcony of his room at the Hotel Adlon in Berlin, as fans stood below, holding him in his right arm, with a cloth loosely draped over the baby's face. The baby was briefly extended over a railing, four stories above ground level, causing widespread criticism in the media. Jackson later apologized for the incident, calling it "a terrible mistake". Sony released Number Ones, a compilation of Jackson's hits on CD and DVD. In the U.S., the album was certified triple platinum by the RIAA; in the UK it was certified six times platinum for shipments of at least 1.2 million units. (Cuts to Geo Guy with Green Bob and Little Guy) Geo Guy: (confused) Wait! Did you said 1.2 million units? Little Guy: (replied) Yes. (Shows more pictures and footage) Little Guy: (narrating) Beginning in May 2002, Jackson allowed a documentary film crew, led by British TV personality Martin Bashir, to follow him around just about everywhere he went. Bashir's film crew was with Jackson during the "baby-dangling incident" in Berlin. The program was broadcast in March 2003 as Living with Michael Jackson, and painted an extraordinarily unflattering portrait of the singer. In a particularly controversial scene, Jackson was seen holding hands and discussing sleeping arrangements with a young boy. As soon as the documentary aired, the Santa Barbara county attorney's office began a criminal investigation. After an initial probe from the Los Angeles Police Department and DCFS was conducted in February 2003, they had initially concluded that molestation allegations were "unfounded" at the time being. Act 8: Michael Jackson was almost Gone for good Little Guy: (narrating) After the young boy had involved in the documentary and his mother later told investigators that Jackson had been improper with the boy, Michael Jackson had got arrested by the police in November 2003. (Shows the animated video of Michael Jackson getting arrested) Police Officer: (angry) Michael Joseph Jackson, you're under arrest for having the young boy involved the documentary film. Your wife told me and the investigators that you... Michael Jackson: (shocked) Me? Police Officer: (angry) Yeah, you. You had been improper with your son. Get the fuck in the police car! You're going to jail for 3 years. (Michael Jackson walked inside the police car, and so does the police officer) (The police car drove away to the prison) (Shows the prison on Los Angeles) Dr. Beanson: (narrating) Meanwhile in prison, Michael Jackson was stuck in jail for 3 years until further notice. (Shows the police officer out of the prison cell, and Michael Jackson inside the prison cell) Police Officer: (disappointed) This is your cell. Stay there for 3 years until further notice. See ya later in 2005. (The police officer walked away, with the cell door locked) (Michael Jackson started to cry) Michael Jackson: (crying) WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!! (Shows additional footage) Dr. Beanson: (narrating) While Michael Jackson was in jail, he was charged with seven counts of child molestation and two counts of administering an intoxicating agent in relation to the 13-year old boy shown in the film. Jackson denied the allegations, saying the sleepovers were not sexual in nature. The People vs. Jackson trial began on January 31, 2005, in Santa Maria, California, and lasted five months, until the end of May 2005. On June 13, 2005, Jackson was acquitted on all counts. After the trial, in a highly publicized relocation he moved to the Persian Gulf island of Bahrain, as a guest of Sheikh Abdullah. Bahrain was also where the family intended to send Jackson if he was convicted (though Jackson did not know about the plan), according to a statement by Jermaine Jackson printed in The Times of London in September 2011. In March 2006, the main house at the Neverland Ranch was closed as a cost-cutting measure. There were numerous reports around that time that Jackson was having financial problems. Jackson had been delinquent on his repayments of a $270 million loan secured against his music publishing holdings, even though those holdings were reportedly making him as much as $75 million a year. Bank of America sold the debt to Fortress Investments. Sony reportedly proposed a restructuring deal which would give them a future option to buy half of Jackson's stake in their jointly owned publishing company (leaving Jackson with a 25% stake). Michael Jackson did agree to a Sony-backed refinancing deal in April 2006, although the exact details were not made public, but made private. Michael Jackson didn't have a recording contract in place with Sony or any other major record label at the time being. In early 2006, there was an announcement that Jackson had signed a contract with a Bahrain-based startup called Two Seas Records. However, nothing ever came of that deal, and the CEO of Two Seas, Guy Holmes, later stated that the deal had never been finalized. Green Bob: (narrating) Throughout 2006, Sony repackaged 20 singles from the 1980s and 1990s as the Michael Jackson: Visionary series, which subsequently became a box set. Most of those singles returned to the charts as a result. In September 2006, Jackson and his ex-wife Debbie Rowe confirmed reports that they had settled their long-running child custody suit. The terms were never made public. Jackson continued to be the custodial parent of the couple's two children. In October 2006, Fox News entertainment reporter Roger Friedman said that Jackson had been recording at a studio in rural Westmeath, Ireland. It was not known at the time what Jackson might be working on, or who might be paying for the sessions, since his publicist had recently issued a statement claiming that he had left Two Seas. In November 2006, Jackson invited an Access Hollywood camera crew into the studio in Westmeath, and MSNBC broke the story that he was working on a new album, produced by will.i.am of The Black Eyed Peas. Jackson performed at the World Music Awards, in London on November 15, 2006, and accepted a Diamond Award for selling over 100 million records. Jackson returned to the United States after Christmas 2006 to attend James Brown's funeral in Augusta, Georgia. He gave one of the eulogies, saying that James Brown is Michael Jackson's greatest inspiration. In the spring of 2007, Jackson and Sony teamed up to buy yet another music publishing company: Famous Music LLC, formerly owned by Viacom. This deal gave him the rights to songs by Eminem, Shakira and Beck, among others. Jackson recorded extensively during this period in New York with songwriter and producer will.i.am and also in Las Vegas with producers Akon and RedOne. In March 2007, Jackson gave a brief interview to the Associated Press in Tokyo, where he said... Michael Jackson: I've been in the entertainment industry since I was 6 years old, and as Charles Dickens would say, 'It's been the best of times, the worst of times.' But I would not change my career..... While some have made deliberate attempts to hurt me, I take it in stride because I have a loving family, a strong faith and wonderful friends and fans who have, and continue, to support me. Act 9: Michael Jackson's Last Years Green Bob: (narrating) In March 2007, Jackson visited a U.S. Army post in Japan named Camp Zama to greet 3,000 plus U.S. troops and their families. The hosts presented Jackson with a Certificate of Appreciation for his devotion to U.S. Military troops and their families. In September 2007, Jackson was reportedly still working with will.i.am, but the album was apparently never completed. However, in 2008, Jackson and Sony released Thriller 25 to mark the 25th anniversary of the original Thriller. This album featured the previously unreleased song "For All Time" (an outtake from the original sessions) as well as remixes, where Jackson collaborated with younger artists who had been inspired by his work. Two of the remixes were released as singles with only modest success: "The Girl Is Mine 2008" (with will.i.am) and "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin' 2008" (with Akon). The first single was based on an early demo version, without Paul McCartney. The album itself was a hit, however. In anticipation of Jackson's 50th birthday, Sony BMG released a series of greatest-hits albums called King of Pop. Slightly different versions were released in various countries, based on polls of local fans. King of Pop reached the top 10 in most countries where it was issued, and also sold well as an import in other countries such as the United States. In late 2008, Fortress Investments threatened to foreclose on Neverland Ranch, which Jackson used as collateral for loans running into many tens of millions of dollars. However, Fortress opted to sell Michael Jackson's debts to Colony Capital LLC. In November, Jackson transferred Neverland Ranch's title to Sycamore Valley Ranch Company LLC, which was a joint venture between Jackson and Colony Capital LLC. This deal cleared Jackson's debt, and he reportedly even gained an extra $35 million from the venture. At the time of his death, Jackson still owned a stake in Neverland/Sycamore Valley, but it is unknown how large that stake was. In September 2008, Michael Jackson entered negotiations with Julien's Auction House to display and auction a large collection of memorabilia amounting to approximately 1,390 lots. The auction was scheduled to take place between April 22 and 25. An exhibition of the lots opened as scheduled on April 14, but the actual auction was eventually cancelled at Jackson's request. In March 2009, Jackson held a press conference at London's O2 Arena and announced a series of comeback concerts titled This Is It. The shows would be Jackson's first major series of concerts since the HIStory World Tour finished in 1997. Jackson suggested possible retirement after the shows; he said it would be his "final curtain call". The initial plan was for 10 concerts in London, followed by shows in Paris, New York City and Mumbai. Randy Phillips, president and chief executive of AEG Live, stated that the first 10 dates alone would earn the singer approximately £50 million. The London residency was increased to 50 dates after record breaking ticket sales: over one million were sold in less than two hours. Jackson rehearsed in Los Angeles in the weeks leading up to the tour under the direction of choreographer Kenny Ortega. Most of these rehearsals took place at the Staples Center, which was owned by AEG. The concerts would have commenced on July 13, 2009, and finished on March 6, 2010. Less than three weeks before the first show was due to begin in London and with all concerts being sold out, Jackson died after suffering cardiac arrest. Sometime before his death, it was widely stated that he was starting a clothing line with Christian Audigier; due to his death, the current status of the label remains unknown. Jackson's first posthumous song released entirely by his Estate was titled "This Is It" which Jackson cowrote in the 1980s with Paul Anka. It was not on the set lists for the concerts, and the recording was based on an old demo tape. The surviving brothers reunited in the studio for the first time since 1989 to record backing vocals. On October 28, 2009, a documentary film about the rehearsals titled Michael Jackson's This Is It was released. This is Michael Jackson's very last film before his death. Even though it ran for a limited two-week engagement, it became the highest grossing documentary or concert movie of all time, with earnings of more than $260 million worldwide. Jackson's estate received 90% of the profits. The film was accompanied by a compilation album of the same name. Two versions of the new song appear on the album, which also featured original masters of Michael Jackson's hits in the order in which they appear in the movie, along with a bonus disc with previously unreleased versions of more Michael Jackson hits as well as a spoken-word poem titled "Planet Earth". At the 2009 American Music Awards Jackson won four posthumous awards, two for him and two for his album Number Ones, bringing his total American Music Awards to 26. On June 25, 2009, Jackson died while in his bed at his rented mansion at 100 North Carolwood Drive in the Holmby Hills district of Los Angeles. Attempts at resuscitating him by Conrad Murray, his personal physician, were unsuccessful. Los Angeles Fire Department paramedics received a 911 call at 12:22 (PDT, 19:22 UTC), arriving three minutes later at Jackson's location. He was reportedly not breathing and CPR was performed. Resuscitation efforts continued en route to the Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center, and for more than an hour after arriving there at 1:13 (20:13 UTC). He was pronounced dead at 2:26 local time (21:26 UTC). Jackson's death triggered a global outpouring of grief. He was finally rest in peace in the ground right under the Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Glendale, California, United States. Many people celebrated the death of Michael Jackson, bringing flowers to the grave of Michael Jackson. But in every day, when it's midnight, the ghost of Michael Jackson will come out of the grave. The end. (Cuts to Geo Guy and The Geo Team in the living room) Geo Guy: (shocked) That... was the most... (angry) scariest spooky story ever! (happy) But, good work on that story. Little Guy: Thanks. But do you know that... (afraid) the ghost of Michael Jackson will come to our house and eat our brains!?! (The ghost of Michael Jackson sneaked through the front door, and flew behind the couch) Geo Guy: Um... (Geo Guy looked at Michael Jackson's ghost and then looked back at Little Guy) Geo Guy: (afraid) Yes!?! (The Geo Team looked at the ghost of Michael Jackson) Ghost of Michael Jackson: (electronic robot voice) Hello. I'm gonna eat your god-damn brains!!! (Cuts to black with the crowd screaming sound) Act 10: Free Muffin SPOOKtacular (The screen fades back to the Geo Team's house.) (The lightning bolt was shown with the thunder clap sound) (Cuts to the living room) Geo Guy: Alright, doesn't anyone else have another spooky tale they want to tell? Dick Grayson: I do. Bryan Guy: Cool! Is it about the...thing with the... uh, other thing? Dick Grayson: No, but I have seen a lot of My Little Pony stuff. Imagine if you would go to Equestria, and eat some sort of free muffin samples in a spectacular party no pony has ever eaten. And the name of the party was... (The screen fades to the red-pink-brown sky background with fading vomit-colored text saying "Free Muffin SPOOKTACULAR".) (Dick Grayson popped out of the "O") Dick Grayson: Free Muffin SPOOKtacular! (Dick Grayson went back in the "O" and the muffin lands on the "Free Muffin SPOOKTACULAR" text) (Fades to black) (The screen fades to Pinkie Pie's house. Inside her house, Mrs. Cake is seen walking downstairs.) Mrs. Cake: Now Pinkie Pie, are you sure you're up for baking the muffins and running the store this afternoon? Pinkie Pie: Yes, Mrs Cake. Mrs. Cake: Okay. Pinkie Pie: Plus, I have the most beloved man from the town of Springfield to help me out. Mrs. Cake: So who is he? Pinkie Pie: (thinking) Um? (replied) His name is Homer Simpson. Mrs. Cake: Why? Pinkie Pie: Because he's the best baker ever. Right, Homie-boy? (The camera pans to Homer where he stays silent.) Mr. Cake: No? You're the worst baker ever? Homer Simpson: (drooling) Mm, best baker ever... (wakes up) Huh? Now don't you fret, Mrs. Cake. (confused) I can't remember. (looking at the sky) I'm the best baker ever! (An uplifting cue is heard.) Mrs. Cake: (sighs) All right. Well, see you later, Pinkie and Homie-boy! (Mrs. Cake walks out the room.) Pinkie Pie: Stop with the shakin', it's time to get bakin'. Homer Simpson: I won't let ya down! (Another uplifting cue is heard.) (The camera fades to the kitchen.) (Pinkie Pie and Homer walked to the kitchen table) Pinkie Pie: (teaching Homer) All right, Homie-boy. Let me show you how to make a muffin. (Shows footage of Pinkie Pie and Homer making muffins) Pinkie Pie: Step 1: Leave a few lumps. Over stirring can toughen the muffin. (Homer stirs too fast with the food mixer, and the muffin mix was too tough) Homer Simpson: (annoyed) D'oh! Pinkie Pie: Step 2: Spray the liners with cooking spray before adding butter to the bowl, but including the batter. (Homer Simpson sprayed the liners around the muffin mix and adds butter into the bowl, and puts the batter into the bowl, and stirred it) Pinkie Pie: (confused) Um? (angry) No! That's not it! Homer Simpson: (annoyed) D'oh! Pinkie Pie: Step 3: Check for doneness early (about 5 minutes before specified time) since ovens can vary. (Homer Simpson checked for doneness really slow) Text: 1 hour later... Dick Grayson: (narrating) 1 hour later... (Homer Simpson still checked for doneness really slow) Text: 2 hours later... Dick Grayson: (narrating) 2 hours later... (Homer Simpson still checked for doneness really slow) Text: 3 hours later... Dick Grayson: (narrating) 3 hours later... (Homer Simpson still checked for doneness really slow) Text: 1 day later... Dick Grayson: (narrating) 1 day later... (Homer Simpson still checked for doneness really slow) Text: 5 days later... Dick Grayson: (narrating) 5 days later... (Homer Simpson still checked for doneness really slow) Text: 7 months later... Dick Grayson: (narrating) 7 months later... (Homer Simpson still checked for doneness really slow) Text: 1 year later... Dick Grayson: (narrating) 1 year later... (Homer Simpson still checked for doneness really slow) Text: 1 generation later... Dick Grayson: (narrating) 1 generation later... (Homer Simpson still checked for doneness really slow) Text: 1 decade later... Dick Grayson: (narrating) 1 decade later... (Homer Simpson still checked for doneness really slow) Text: 1 century later... Dick Grayson: (narrating) 1 century later... (Homer Simpson laid down on the floor, sleeping and drooling) Homer Simpson: (drooling) Mm, best baker ever... (Pinkie Pie woked Homer Simpson up) Homer Simpson: (wakes up) Huh? Pinkie Pie: (angry) You're too slow! Homer Simpson: (annoyed) D'oh! (Shows the fail screen) Fail Announcer: FAIL! (Shows additional animated footage of Pinkie Pie and Homer Simpson making muffins) Pinkie Pie: Step 4: Cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then eat warm or remove to a rack so the muffins don't get soggy. (Homer Simpson eats the muffin so warm) Homer Simpson: Mmmmm, muffins. Pinkie Pie: And step 5: Store the muffins correctly so they can stay fresh. Keep in a airtight container for a day or two. Either you make them fresh and eat them, or wrap them individually in a plastic wrap, place all of the muffins in a zip-top bag, and freeze up to a month. Thaw at room temperature or in the microwave for 10 to 30 seconds. Text: 2 days later... Dick Grayson: (narrating) 2 days later... (Pinkie Pie shaked Homer Simpson's hand for helping her make muffins for halloween) Pinkie Pie: (happy) Thanks, Homie-boy. Homer Simpson: No problemo. More coming soon! Category:Transcripts